


Dead Men Walking

by roomshxmbles



Category: One Piece
Genre: (I'm so sorry), (eventually) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Gangs/Mafia, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon-Compliant Location Names, Complicated Relationships, Crossdressing, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recreational Drug Use, Separation Anxiety, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Violence, Will tag as I go along, minor Law/Robin in chapter 1
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 12:37:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10513911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roomshxmbles/pseuds/roomshxmbles
Summary: Trafalgar Law hadn't expected things to go so badly.Well....he hadn't expected to be this lucky, either. If you could call it 'luck'.After escaping a near-death situation, with no other choice but to split from the man he trusts the most, Law knows it's only a matter of time before his missteps usurp him. Forced on the run by his own paranoia, he arrives in Water Seven, hoping to find information in the shape of Nico Robin. Avoiding police and vigilantes alike must all be accounted for; one wrong move and Law knows he's dead. He knows his hand will be forced to kill.The only miscalculation would be Robin's...friends getting in the way.Luffy talks too much for his own good. Zoro and Sanji fight like they're planning to kill each other, yet kiss and make up the next day. Law's all but ready to move on - until Robin proposes that just maybe there's something mutually beneficial here.The retrieval of Luffy's brother. Law's escape from being killed. Inextricably, the two become more than a little linked.Maybe there's more common ground between the pair to be found, too.





	

**Author's Note:**

> WHEEEEEEEEEEEW  
> it's here after procrastinating.... for so long....i could cry tears of joy honestly
> 
> firstly and foremostly THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE FOLLOWER I HAVE on tumblr - i wouldn't have been able to churn this out without you lot; a very, VERY special thanks goes to raincloudfedarie and malfunctioningkitten who have just been pumping me full of love and motivation for this fic and listening to me bitch incessantly about how i NEED to finish this, lmao. thank you guys so much!
> 
> this chapter is very long, but i felt it unfitting and disjointed to break it up into separate chapters. i can't say whether future chapters will be this long, but...perhaps not? ahaha. all i know is updates won't be too regular because of exams and school, but i shall try my best.
> 
> side note: there WILL be missing context. there WILL be moments or references you won't get, just to point out the obvious - explanations will come. some soon, some later. just wanted to clarify in case people feel like they've missed a huuuuge chunk of information, lol.
> 
> please, please, please let me know what you think! even if it's just a silly comment i appreciate every lil ounce of feedback i get.
> 
> you can find me on tumblr as roomshxmbles, where you can drop me a message anytime about this (or any other lawlu-related things, coincidentally).
> 
> thanks and i hope you guys enjoy OTL!!!!

**Dead Men Walking**

 

 

“So.”

 

“So.” A rich, sultry voice echoed him, pleasant in tone; the accompanying gaze, however, was marked with a glimmer of caution. She leant towards him, shoulders hunched as she took a sip of her drink.

 

“I'll ask again….what can you tell me about Water Seven, Nico Robin?”

 

Law wasn't _really_ the type of guy for unnecessary courtesies; he'd hoped the curt enunciation of her name would convey his urgency suitably. He leant back in his chair despite the growing feeling of impatience surrounding him; this woman really knew how to elongate a conversation that could have been over with approximately 15 minutes ago. The murkiness of the bar seemed all-encompassing, lights flickering haphazardly with only the faintest hint of moonlight filtering in through loose windows. It only served to make Law more than conscious of the time this was taking, as well as feeling unsettling enough that he wasn't really _too_ comfortable taking it slow here.

 

Mahogany furnishings gave the initial appearance of some form of _class_ – tables dotted around, as well as the sleek counter-top being made of it. Taking a closer look, though – the furnishings were splintered in places; several chairs sat lopsidedly, missing legs. Law noticed his own bar stool was wobbling just a little for it to remain irritating. A huddle of what he assumed were _regulars_ crowded around the far end of the bar, and a few more were seated in weathered-looking plush sofas – once expensive, but Law assumed that could have been about ten years ago. The dilapidation creeping through the surface-level appearance of the place only served to imprint it as washed-up and potentially _dangerous_ in his mind – like it was only _masquerading_ under the impression of being classy.

 

Idly, he mirrored her, locking eyes as he too drank from his glass of rum and coke. The bar she'd chosen wasn't quiet, but it was empty enough to cause Law discomfort (alongside the roughed-up patches) – didn't Robin _know_ about the possibility of people listening in? A woman of her prestige... _honestly_.

 

“... _Trafalgar_. As much as I honestly would love to give you the vital information...” - she punctuated this sentence by gently resting a hand on Law's arm - “...nothing's for free, of course.” Robin's eyes flickered as she continued. “I just can't take the risk, not with your associations…”; with that, she averted her gaze slightly, betraying something akin to guilt. A horribly uncharacteristic emotion for her to express, Law mused, and one that probably – along with alcohol – influenced his next move.

 

He furrowed his brows and exhaled quietly, cufflinks clinking against the wood of the bar as he swiftly moved his other arm. Fortunately enough, the “ _associations_ ” Robin spoke of had also taught him how to deal with situations like these – even if it wasn't to his preference. No, this was definitely not to his preference, but lo and behold if Law wasn't going to use his skills to his advantage – and with that, in the same informal manner Robin had done, he placed his hand on her thigh, letting a casual smirk adorn his face.

 

Apparently, this was a step forward in negotiations; it earned Law a small smile from Robin as she relaxed her shoulders.

 

“I can make it worth your time, Nico Robin.” Law murmured. In affirmation, he moved his fingers to stroke the stocking-clad skin, alcohol emboldening his movements.

 

“Oh? ….I'm glad to hear that, Trafalgar.” Yes, this seemed like it was getting them somewhere...The raven-haired woman clutched her martini glass, leaning in further. “...You're willing to prove I can place my trust in you?” As she ended her sentence, Law could swear the woman almost hummed appreciatively whilst he continued the delicate motions up and down her thigh – the tight purple velvet of her dress was riding up in a suggestive manner. Repressing the sharp buzzing against his thigh, only vaguely aware of it at this point in the evening, Law made a mental note to turn his mobile off at the next opportunity he got.

 

A faint tune started up from the further end of the bar, tinny yet distinguishable; alongside drunken cheers, Law faintly recognised it as something from the 90s. Nothing _he'd_ voluntarily listen to, but a familiar song he'd heard floating across many car radios and ratty cassette tapes in his time. Come to think of it, the bar itself was all too reminiscent of ones Law had frequented before – a time where he'd been younger, sitting on the stool, awaiting the time where they'd finish their business and bundle back into the sedan.

 

Shaking his head slightly, gritting his teeth, he pressed past the thoughts – it wasn't time for those, especially not with the rising urgency of his situation.

 

“Listen, I appreciate what you're risking to meet with me here –“ Law swallowed; Robin's aura was confident as usual _,_ and whilst he didn't consider himself _“out of touch”_ with women...it had been a long time.

 

He gulped once more. What had the feathered bastard said? _“_ _Actions speak louder than words, but a little bit of sweet-talking never hurts, Law.”_

 

“ - you know I wouldn't sell you out, Robin.” His tone was lowered as he merely gazed at the woman in front of him; a warm blush had crept onto her cheeks and her smile had widened. “I wouldn't expect a woman of your calibre to take that at face value; of course not. So...if I may...”

 

A rare crack in Robin's composed features – her eyes fluttered open wide for a brief second as tattooed fingers slid a little further up her thigh. Law inhaled, studying the older woman's reaction.

 

“You're going to earn your salt, I suppose?”, came a low purr in reply. Robin was intelligent; she certainly wasn't fooled by any pretences Law could hold. The song continued on.  
  
“...naturally.” His response came dryly, feeling a little dumbfounded by the woman's frankly _intimidating_ presence. “Another drink?” The buzzing started again; 3 pulses, before his phone stilled in his pocket once more; Law felt his own shoulders drop, relaxed at the thought.

 

Robin giggled; pleasant, airy laughter ringing out against the dull humdrum of the bar's chatter. “My, my, is somebody trying to get me inebriated?” A slender digit of hers started circling the tattoo on the back of Law's palm; her glossy lips were pursed in apparent fascination. Good _god_ , Nico Robin truly was attractive. Would Law still have done this if he hadn't wanted to glean information out of her…?

 

 _Probably_ , he thought, trying to ease his unusually guilty conscience; another thing that separated him from the feathered bastard.

 

“I would never _dare_.” He allowed himself a small joke, silently motioning at the bartender and, in return, having another Martini slide down to their cosy end of the bar. Robin's deep eyes glistened.

  
“Then... prove to me I can leave myself in your care, _doctor_.” Words trailed into hot breath as she moved towards Law, ignoring the drink on the counter; soft lips were ghosting the shell of his ear all of a sudden. Almost as fast, a pair of delicate hands ran up the length of his suited torso, and Law quickly felt constricted – like his suit was _much too tight_ , and responded with his own show of control – fingers moved to Robin's hip, and their eyes locked.

 

Robin's cheeks were dusted with a light pink colour – insistently, almost commandingly, she pressed her body further towards Law, as if trying to eradicate the distance between their two seats completely.

 

Who could do anything but smile at the sight?

 

The tattooed man licked his lips as they once again coiled into a smirk – _Robin_ was the one initiating his own idea. He almost _laughed,_ but the pressing urgency of just how... _desperate_ he was for her wealth of information lingered in the back of his mind. Promptly, in one fluid movement, Law's fingers caught the older woman's jawline, tilting her head at just the right angle; noting the smouldering look in her eyes (if only briefly), Law closed his own.

 

Their lips connected; Robin merely uttered a soft ' _ah_ ' into the kiss – a noise of appreciation, Law hoped. Giving her thigh a last assertive squeeze, the previously occupied hand tangled itself in Robin's soft, voluminous tresses; there was the unmistakeable feeling of a warm, growing heat from where their lips locked. Despite the insistence fuelling Law's hungry movements, he pulled back; the kiss was short, and he _needed_ to escalate this, _needed_ to press further, but – he glanced at Robin's features, gauging the response.

 _  
_ Her blush had deepened in the darkness, eyes glistening, half-lidded as she exhaled. Long lashes fluttered shut as, deftly, she sipped at the fresh Martini waiting for her, a soft smile adorning her face. A thick heat felt as if it were lingering in the air around the two of them; despite Robin pulling away from Law, he felt much too hot – stifled, even. The mere feeling of the voluptuous body against his own had taken his usually calm self by surprise; god, it really _had_ been too long. Barely registering himself gulp, his voice was low and quiet: “Was that...acceptable?” Yes, pacing was key – playing the ever-attentive gentleman.

 

“Hmm. Not too shabby for someone so out of practice, _doctor_.” - of course _she_ would be able to tell, Law thought, somewhat awkwardly. Robin hummed teasingly, eyes blinking open to look inquisitively at - and straight through - the man opposite. “I think, however...” - in the blink of an eye, her sleek calf locked itself around the back of Law's, pushing their bodies together once more - “I may need some more convincing.”

 

She really _was_ taking the prerogative – he was merely doing half the work here. The chatter of the bar ebbed and flowed around them as Law felt a firm tug on his cuff; with no time to process _why_ she was so eager, Robin had joined their lips again. Tasting vaguely of gin and lemon, she guided Law's arm by the sleeve of his jacket to sit on her trim, velveted waist. This time, however, Law allowed himself to scoff just a little into the kiss; Robin was treating him like an inexperienced teenager? Never was Law one to get riled up by friendly competition, but – information or no information… - the male lifted Robin's chin with a tattooed index finger, pushing her deeper into the kiss. A shared breath hitched in both throats. Law gripped the raven-haired woman's hip _;_ the buzzing in his pocket, again, reminding him of just _why_ he was doing this. _More convincing, Robin? I'l_ _l_ _give you more convincing_.

 

If the older woman were to be so _eager_ , then perhaps Law would just have to play devil's advocate for a moment; brushing his teeth against her bottom lip, he separated from her, murmuring against her skin. “Robin,” - oh, she liked the throaty purr of her name; Law felt a brief shiver run through the body his arm was around - “first of all, I need to know where you're staying...”

 

“And, unfortunately, _I_ need to believe you couldn't hand me over by making one call, but, alas...Your phone has been rather busy tonight, Trafalgar...” The response was slightly more cutting than Law would expect for the sultry mood that had befallen the pair; Robin's serene laugh at the end of her words laced her intentions with a slither of mirth, however. He blinked; silence had followed after Robin's reply, and – almost out of shame for what she'd implied – Law pulled back, smoothing his suit down.

 

Law knew a part of Robin still distrusted him, no matter how minor – but that was one thing for which he could never blame her. Carrying herself with such an air of grace was enough courtesy for him to appreciate – but, right now, that distrust needed to be _gone_. Fast.

 

His next moves were a purposeful deliberation, an attempt to swing the situation back to his side. Holding her gaze, Law jerked the now-still mobile from his pocket, and turned it off without a word. Carefully, he gripped the handle of the bags at his feet, including the cello case (not trusting anywhere in this bar enough to leave his luggage away from himself), steeling himself for the proposition:

 

“...Shall we take this to a room upstairs?” The noise within the bar had risen to a level where his voice was barely audible any more, but it was the squeeze of Law's arm that finally affirmed Robin's agreement.

 

* * *

 

“Ufufu...I suppose that was more than enough, Trafalgar.”

 

Law exhaled, fingers buttoning up the rest of his shirt with a tremendous effort. A smile played on his lips as he half-heartedly smoothed the front of said crumpled fabric down.

 

“...good.” It wasn't much of a reply, nor was it carrying much gentlemanly pretence; his own voice was hoarse and low, but managed a slight chuckle at the end.

 

“Well, despite the fact that you're...a little out of _practice_.” Law flushed immediately in response to the piercing statement, tensing up and brushing a hand through his hair. _Of course_ she'd pick up on that – he responded non-committally, letting out a grunt as he waited for the redness in his face to subside.

 

Robin giggled, airily and slightly breathless. Law could catch her reflection, deftly slipping her dress back over her slender form, pulling her stockings up in a graceful motion. Nearly wanting to slap himself for stooping to the level of a hormonal teenager – despite what they _had_ just done – he coughed awkwardly, waiting for Robin to seat herself on the edge of the bed.

 

The room was small, plain, and felt much too constricting for Law to occupy it with Robin as well. Never mind the fact that a woman exuding such a grandiose aura as Robin felt completely out of place here, it also brought the vague memory of rooms Law had stayed in before to the forefront of his mind. As he expertly re-knotted his tie, his gaze decided to land anywhere other than Robin's semi-naked form; he drank in the bare floorboards – noting that any pretences of grandeur had been clearly abandoned in the rooms above registering the voices rising from the bar below.

 

“Well, well, Trafalgar; put that phone where I can see it - and we can talk, yes?”

 

Law's eyes flicked back to the mirror, catching Robin's own in the reflection; she looked just as composed as before they'd entered the room, whereas he...He was aware of the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead, affected by a weird, half-sated feeling. Digging into his trouser pocket, he fished out the mobile (somewhat hesitantly); rectangular, sleek, black and inconspicuous, and tossed it on top of the cello-shaped case he'd placed near the now-messy bed.

 

He'd be lying if he said it wasn't worth it – the sex. Robin seemed all too unaffected by the circumstances; the woman was a pleasure, the tattooed man admitted, to hold – all soft curves and smooth skin - and the brief whispers she gave even as Law had been buried inside of her were more than promising, even if nothing else came to fruition. Certainly, some of the skills Law had picked up had proved themselves to be useful; as he'd nipped along her collarbone, she'd angled her head and whispered idly, exchanging heated and hurried whispers in between kisses and moans. He recalled snippets of their conversation – what he could remember from the haze currently clouding his head:

\--

 

“ _I want to know why you're here, Trafalgar...”_

 

“ _...I can't tell you that just yet, Robin...”_

 

“ _...haah...I_ _can guess to an extent...it's to do with_ him, _right?”_

 

“ _...naturally. I'm not here to trouble you -”_

 

“ _I never thought_ you _would trouble me;_ he _, however, is a different story. Risks being what they are...ah, that's nice…-”_

 

At this point, Law had trailed his fingers to her breasts, in an attempt to sweeten the deal; even as hurried as he was, he could appreciate their suppleness, rolling a nipple between his forefinger and thumb. Drawing sweet moans from Robin, it had to be said, was rewarding enough; he'd picked up the pace with his thrusts.

 

“ _..._ _nnf..._ _I just need...a couple of things..._ _t_ _hen, I'm out of your hair.”_ Good lord, not succumbing entirely to Robin's warmth was difficult – Law had furrowed his brows, concentrating determinedly on anything _but_ the sex right now.

 

“ _Aha...ufufu...Sway me just a little more, then...”_

 

* * *

 

Yet now – after the heat of Robin's walls claimed him and he lost himself to what was (as if it would be anything less from Nico Robin) a hell of an orgasm, Law felt weirdly on edge. True, he'd persuaded the older woman to throw him a few lifelines; rather than easing him, he instead felt transparent, like he'd exposed himself in a seldom-seen way to her.

It wasn't the sex – no, he felt disassociated from the act already. One thing he'd learnt from that bastard – some acts were just a means to an end. If he'd been a more emotional man, he would have felt bad for having such a thought cross his mind, yet he got the distinct impression Robin wasn't invested in the act too much, either. Judging by the way she'd leapt up, elegantly and wordlessly afterwards, giving Law a telling smirk as he disposed of the condom – suffice to say, it made him glad for her _outstanding_ professionalism.

 

(Not that he didn't feel _lucky_ ; oh gods, sex with Nico Robin was certainly…an achievement, of sorts.)

 

However, her admirably gracious and faultless presence did nothing to make Law feel any less constricted; the room suddenly felt even smaller, with the man perched anxiously, awaiting the start of a tense conversation.

 

The click of heels against barren floorboards jump-started Law back to reality; Robin glanced at his phone, now across the room, with a satisfied, small smile.

 

“I don't intend to sound hypocritical, but I'd appreciate if you hurried this, Trafalgar.” Her tone was entirely warm now as she cast her gaze to her wristwatch - a mark of positive progress. Shoulders dropping in relaxation, Law leant back on his hands, head tilted up at the ceiling.

 

“I need to know where you're staying. At the very least – _I_ need somewhere safe to stay.” The sentence came out hurried, breathless. Silence occupied the room as there was a shifting of fabric – Robin crossed one of her legs over the other, and Law just _knew_ she was looking at him; staring at him with those intrigued eyes she often wore.

 

“Planning on sticking around here for a while…? I wouldn't advise it, Trafalgar-” Law craned his head as if to interject, only for his eyes to flicker straight to Robin's own – her expression was steeled, chin resting on her fingers as if entrapped by a serious thought. Deciding to keep his lips pressed, he drummed a tattooed digit against the sheets, anticipating her musings.

 

“- but you're no idiot, so...something's – someone's - _making_ you stay here, yes?” Ever-grateful for her perception, and appreciative of the straightforward question, Law folded his arms. The noise from the bar down below was dissipating, indicative that time was ticking by into the early hours of the morning. For just how long had they been at their relations…? Gods, he was losing track of vital time...

  
“...yeah. I can't tell you in a place like this...but this was the first stop that came into my head.” Law massaged his temple in mild frustration. It wasn't as if he was a very _open_ person...yet treading on eggshells around the point – however necessary for him – was only prolonging the discussion. Eyes flicked uncertainly to the view of the outside streets; dark, bathed in yellow light from half-working streetlamps – it made him feel _anxious_. Conversations were more than easy to listen in on - to intercept - especially in a quietness like this.

 

“Relatively out of the way, large, well-policed, and enough distinction between the rich and poor areas...” Robin counted her points on her fingers as she spoke, a mildly incredulous smile adorning her features. “You're in hiding, Trafalgar? Or...on the run?”

 

“Surprised it took you this long to twig, Nico Robin.” Law allowed a dark laugh to escape his lips, masking the chill that ran down his spine at the mention of “ _well-policed_.” A double-edged sword.

 

“It's not entirely without risk, Trafalgar. _He_ still has influence here, as does your…association.”

 

“That bastard has reaches in every place...Why do you think I've sought your help?” He was right to be worried about the police, then – no small comfort, knowing his paranoia was valid. The man Robin was referring to – loathed as he was in Law's mind – was small fry compared to _his_ ever-approaching threat.  
  
“Ufufu...my, my. Tetchy, aren't you?” A small joke, but one that Law didn't necessarily appreciate right now.  
  
“...Robin, as you noted, I'm _on the run._ ” Exasperation manifested itself in the male's voice, both at the woman but also at the growing worry of never being able to outrun _him_ – of course, he was an idiot to expect any place free from _his_ touch; he guessed it was no longer a matter of finding an impenetrable place, but one that would merely have to do.

 

 _Beggars can't be choosers, after all,_ he thought sorely.

 

“The safest place for you right now will be by the police district. Plenty of hotels, hostels, motels – I'm sure money isn't an issue.” The tone of Robin's voice shifted to one entirely more serious; perhaps she'd noticed Law's own.

 

“You just said _he_ has influence here...why on earth would I stay by the police district?” Law cocked an eyebrow in mild aggravation - “influence” translated to “bribing officials.” As much as the police could protect him from any looming threats – if they were under _his_ thumb, what was the use?

“The police in the north are just that – _police_. They're officials of the law, and as far as _we_ know, they're the only ones untouched in the city. Trafalgar - have you attracted the attention of any authorities on your way here…?”

 

“Fortunately, I don't think I've been that idiotic so far.” Law interjected softly, trying to ease his nerves. Occupying a place so close to the _actual_ police wasn't ideal, but it was much, much better than nearing any place that bastard had corrupted, and he supposed it gave him one form of protection – there was a mild wave of relief knowing that they were, as of yet, untouchable.

 

“Then that will be – well, not safe, but _safer_ \- than anywhere down south, Trafalgar. _That_ 's the place you really should avoid - “

 

“Corrupt police down there? ...I gathered as much.” He sucked at his teeth, eyes unfocused. It was an annoyance to consider, but an inevitable one if Law knew anything about his former contacts.

 

“Well – yes; we've already ascertained they're under a couple of people's thumbs, including...well. But that's not the biggest threat to you. There's an entirely separate group of individuals nestled comfortably down there – most people refer to them as _vigilantes_.” Neither of the pair wanted to say the name, Law supposed – it was almost taboo. Yet, more importantly, a fragment of Robin's sentence had captured most of his attention; eyes widening slightly,

 

“ _'_ Vigilantes?'” Law lifted his head, a more concerned expression now apparent in his features. He hadn't expected _that_ ; he'd known Water Seven to be a paragon of legal authority, one of the more safer areas – but _vigilante_ _s_?

 

“Different from the easily-bribed officials, who still masquerade as police - most of these distance themselves from the title, if they aren't already swept under the carpet by the rest of the force.”

 

“So they're essentially disowned from the police? What, are they bounty hunters?”

 

“Nobody knows.”

 

“...what do you mean?” Nico Robin, admitting a lack of knowledge? This was a first – a worrying first. Law leant in, feeling the air around him cooling as he stiffened.

 

“I mean exactly what I said – nobody knows. I only learnt of them a couple of years ago, back in Alabasta -” Robin's gaze lowered, sentence stopping with a mild abruptness as she cleared her throat and resumed. “...I have a little knowledge, but much of it amounts only to the fact this group merely seems to appear, and high-priority targets... _disappear_. We don't know their name, but it's happened before; about a year ago, Arlong was suddenly hauled from Cocoyashi by them, and I'm sure you know how long he was wanted for.”

 

Law blinked, almost in disbelief – he'd heard of Arlong but there'd been no information about his capture – or was it murder?

 

“...'disappear,' huh?”

 

Robin didn't actually look too perturbed by the ominous-sounding exposition she'd rattled off; her face settled into neutrality, as if this was almost... _mundane_ to her.

 

“Honestly, with the rarity of their appearances...they're much like an urban legend at this point. But if anybody on _your side_ knows how to contact them – which I'm not ruling out for a second – you're as good as dead, Trafalgar.”

 

 _Yeah_ , he thought, _I wouldn't rule out something so fucking shady, either_.

 

“…alright. Fine. I honestly don't know whether I'm being chased or not, as of yet.” Law shifted his shoulders with the sighed admission. Robin flashed what seemed to be a sympathetic smile in response; her hand trailed to said shoulders, patting one gently.

 

“Well, of course, if you _are_ playing me along and you're trying to sell me out, you'll be dead regardless –

 

 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

 

_...What?_

 

Law stilled completely; he felt Robin freeze up next to him. The previous warmth of the room, the mild relaxation from being in the presence of an old acquaintance, vanished at the very instant the light tapping rung through the room.

 

Barely acting to breathe, Law looked to Robin, feeling almost helpless and – with good reason – much too on edge. Her brows were ever so slightly knotted, eyes widening.

 

Neither of the pair dared to move; of course, this could very well be an innocent visitor, but Law assumed the both of them knew better than to chance such an optimistic occurrence. The sheets rustled slightly; Robin's fingers tapped insistently on Law's wrist, a contrast against her calm and composed form.

 

Supple lips mouthed one cautious word to Law as silence grew, waiting apprehensively.

  
“ _Window_.”

 

Law swallowed, nodding curtly. His eyes caught something providing a small wave of relief – the door was bolted shut. He wasn't a careless person himself, but thank _god_ for Robin's foresight; he vaguely remembered she'd been the one to close the door as he'd undressed in haste.

 

“Nico Robin, open the door.”

 

The voice that rang through yet again, as Law attempted to move as silently as possible, was gruff; tone low and loud. Authoritative, too; the call for Robin was accompanied by another solid knock.

 

Robin didn't move.

 

Law saw her shoulders hunch slightly, could almost _feel_ her body tense next to his. His heartbeat was much, much too loud, too quick – almost thumping in his ears. This person knew Robin by her full name – even had the _gall_ to address her as such. Judging by how the older woman's composure had become rattled in such a small amount of time...this was bad. Almost shakily, he stood up, glancing back at Robin as he silently strode over to the window.

 

Of course, he had some sort of inkling as to why “ _window_ ” was specified. Glancing down through the pane, he saw a sharp drop – but not a fatal one.

 

“Nico Robin, if you don't open the door, I have the authority to kick the damned thing in.”

 

 _Shit_.

 

Even Robin's eyes fluttered wide at the sound of that.

 

Carefully, eyes still trained on Robin's suspensive form, Law deftly played with the latch on the window, trying as much as his trembling hands would allow to not rattle the pane. Quite clearly they needed to hurry the _fuck_ up – and with that thought, a resounding slam echoed through the deathly-quiet room.

 

“You've been seen in there already. With another guest. Do yourself a favour and _open the damn door_. ”

 

Only with that did Robin rise to her feet, eyeing the door; she threw a look at Law and nodded sombrely in approval of his actions. There was no point remaining too quiet _now,_ was there?

 

“Who is it, may I ask?”

 

If Robin was nervous, her silken voice didn't betray a single hint of it. Her innocent response chimed out calmly and slowly, trying to delay the situation at hand. The door of the small room, splintered on the surface and wobbling at the hinges, sure as hell wasn't going to hold out for very long.

 

Slowly, carefully, Law saw Robin slip off her heels. Promptly making no time to wait for a response, she locked eyes with Law and waved a hand urgently, as she paced (now silently) around the room in stocking-clad feet – probably to avoid the hurried clacking of heels, so as to _not_ let their visitor know they were both mildly rushed. What little possessions Robin had brought up with her were now being collected in a flurry as she flitted around; Law remembered his own luggage, cursing internally at the addition of _another_ problem as he attempted to bust the stubborn latch open. The force of his wrist alone wasn't enough – his eyes flickering hurriedly between his baggage, the door, and Robin did nothing to ease the impending urgency.

 

“If you really _want to know_...Police. You're under arrest.” And then, the loudest sound yet – a thunderous echo of a fist, or maybe a boot, hitting the door. It was enough to make the floorboard shake ever so slightly; Robin looked, for lack of a better word, terrified – her cheeks were pale, eyes glossy. This spurred Law into quickening his actions; gritting his teeth, he braced himself and slammed a shoulder into the windowpane.

 

It repeated. Another loud thud, another quake from the door opposite the window. There was no other noise – Law, weirdly enough, couldn't hear police sirens, couldn't see anything on the streets below. The male winced at the impact – it had been some time since he'd been made to use such brute force. Again, he repeated the motion, accompanied only by the repeated, terrifying, ominous thuds at the door. Robin hurried over to Law's luggage, a silent warning that she was all but prepared to make this exit as well – and a reminder that this window _really needed to fucking budge._

 

“Whoever the fuck else is in there – listen - you hand me Robin, and I'll let you walk.”

The thudding slowed as the loud, booming voice proposed – or rather, _demanded –_ some form of compromise.

Law inhaled, stopping his motions almost in tandem. There was a ringing in his ears, as the words tried to permeate his brain.

“ _Whoever else is in there.”_

They didn't know who he was.

They weren't after _him_.

Eyes transfixed on the door, then flicking to Robin's worried features; the tattooed male studied her wide eyes, almost child-like and disbelieving….he shook his dark tresses, remaining silent. The momentary lapse made him feel like _shit_...what the fuck had that shitty feathered bastard instilled in him…?

There was a scoff in response to Law's lack of communication. “Ya had your chance, brat.”

 

Cold air flooded into the stifling room with a sudden rush and a crack – coinciding with another tumultuous pound on the door. Robin, almost instinctively, stayed wordless, yet gripped Law's shoulder (other hand having dragged his luggage to the window) and pressed herself close to him, holding her heels in her other fingers – as if in preparation. Law couldn't help but hiss; his elbow had smashed directly _through_ the pane in his haste, splinters of glass falling down. The pounding in his head and the way Robin was clutching him distracted from any imminent pain, though he noticed the sleeve of his suit jacket had ripped with the impact.

 

“ _Hurry._ ” Robin's words were barely more than a whisper, breathless and concerned in tone. Law barely had time to look behind himself, still hammering away at the fragmented pane in desperation, before an explosive crash deafened his ears.

 

With a thunderous roar, the flimsy oaken door _flew_ across the room, hinges tearing from the wall.

The image of the well-built, shadowed, grey-haired man it revealed was barely registering in Law's mind before he felt a hand grip his own and saw _all_ of his luggage plummeting with a crash onto the dim streets below.

 

Robin was panting from the exertion and booted footsteps echoed in the fugue that was Law's mind. The next thing he knew, the same arm that had so easily _flung_ a suitcase (and a much larger cello case, to boot) linked deftly around Law's own and pulled insistently.

 

In a blur of raven locks fluttering past, Robin jumped.

 

Snapping his head to focus on what was happening – namely, the wind nipping at his cheeks, the inky blackness he was plummeting into – Law realised he, too, was falling through the air.

 

He had to think quickly – the adrenaline pounding through his veins would soften the impact, sure, but he'd ascertained earlier it'd hurt nonetheless. Their room was situated on a second floor, two levels above the bar itself; the only surface down below was tarmac.

 

Barely having time to close his eyes reflexively against the cold air biting his skin, there was a deafening thud that shot through the night.

A yell ripped from his throat. He'd managed to outstretch one arm to brace for his landing, but one knee had slammed into the tarmac – no, no, there wasn't time to ignore the stinging pulsing through his lower leg right now. If he didn't get hauled in by this figure, there'd be time to look at it later...just vaguely, Law could make out Robin's figure already standing over his luggage, grazed legs shaking a little as she dusted herself off.

 

Wild, terrified, wide eyes locked with Law's own as he winced, standing up, fuelled into action by the thump of his heartbeat in his ears. His breathing had become shaky – as had Robin's; Law could see her chest rising and falling as she held his gaze.

 

Wait.

 

Fuck.

 

_Was he supposed to get to his own car?_

 

“Robin – I -” he began, lungs burning, whole body seeming to pulse. _Need to split from you_. Fumbling fingers in his pockets, he felt his car keys – it was round near the front? Maybe? He didn't _know –_ he'd parked in a back street somewhere, walking the rest of the way to rendezvous with Robin. Was there gonna be time for him to deduct just where the fuck he'd parked, with his brain in a fugue like this?

 

The woman strode over, silhouetted, voice low and hurried. “We don't have much time – he's probably headed downstairs right now; he's going to appear from around the corner at any second, Trafalgar…!” She'd slipped into her heels with relative ease, chucking the tattooed male his mobile – thank _god_ she'd picked that up. Small mercies…

Law tried to steady himself and stay _calm_. He lurched for his bags; fingers looped through the handle of his suitcase, other arm hoisting the cello case on his back, legs shaking as he desperately scanned the streets with his eyes darting around the murky night. “I need to – I just need to find my fucking _car_ -” God, he sounded almost _pleading_ , panting from exertion.

 

An arm linked around his, Robin's eyes burning with concern. “What do you mean?” she uttered.

 

“I mean – we have to split, don't we?!” It was common sense to Law; there was no way this guy could chase the _both_ of them…. -

 

“Change of plans, Trafalgar. You're coming with me, alright?!”

 

_What?_

 

“ _What?”_

 

“I'm sorry, but we don't exactly have time to debate this…!”

 

And with that, Law felt himself being tugged yet again; heels clicked against the floor, his own feet following suit. They broke into a run, Law barely being able to perceive anything in the night.

 

 _What? No, Robin, if I go with you, we'll both be in danger –_ _what are you doing?_

 

Thoughts went unvoiced, all breath lost as Law was forcibly hurried through the streets. He couldn't think – couldn't speak; the only saving comfort was that he didn't hear anybody else behind them.

 

Had that officer really been lost that easily?

 

Only vaguely did his brain register the pair stopping, and Law realised there was a _car –_ a black sedan? His? No – this was _Robin's_?

 

The click of a door alerted the male, who was staring at the vehicle, to shake his head and snap out of it.

 

It went by, barely noted in Law's brain: Robin's voice ushering him to get into the passenger seat as she hurried around to the other side. The low purr of the car booting into ignition.

 

“Buckle up.”

 

His hands seemed to move on their own to plug his seatbelt in as he hastily chucked bags to the back of the car, eyes fixated in the wing mirror for any hint of movement in the street behind them. Nothing in sight, but – was he really going with Robin after _this_? Didn't she know better?

 

With a throaty hum, the car's engine geared up, and Robin effortlessly reversed – then slammed on the pedal, vehicle lurching forward with a screech of its tires.

 

Law braced himself; Robin's knuckles were white with the tightness of her grip on the wheel. His heart had slowed somewhat, his brain mostly lost in confusion right now. _What now?_

 

There was silence between the pair; tension that lingered in the air. After god knows how long, criss-crossing back alleys and side streets, the roads finally opened up onto the highway - and Law actually allowed himself to exhale.

 

“It's not quite over...don't drop your guard down just yet, alright?” Robin's voice was cautionary, but softer now – the roads were mostly empty, illuminated by faint , and there were still no tell-tale police sirens behind them. Had the guy _given up?_

 

Law felt himself sink into his seat as Robin stepped down on the gas, car sailing through the night down the nigh-endless stretch of road towards the promising glimmer of homes and apartment blocks on the horizon.

 

* * *

 

 

If he'd been asked, Law couldn't have accurately recalled all of what happened after.

 

The car had stopped. Law had looked up at the building that Robin had smoothly parked by – tall and imposing. He'd grabbed his bags in haste, checking over his shoulder. Robin had glanced at him with a mixture of concern and urgency, leading the way.

“Are you sure nobody followed us?” Her tone was soft as they stepped inside – Law saw the woman let a breath out, her fingers running through her dark tresses.

 

“...yeah. Positive.” That's all he'd been focused on, after all. His own reply was curt, but he finished with a small smile – prompting Robin to return one of her own – as he stepped inside, wincing as he remembered the damage dealt to his good leg.

 

Maybe things would have to be figured out tomorrow.

 

(Or, well, later today – it was about 4 in the morning.)

 

Silence in the elevator. Law's head was pounding again – the gilded trim of the furnishings inside suggested affluence, but he barely had time to soak it in – Robin pulled gently on his arms, her shoulders still shaking a little.

 

He was ushered down a hallway, passing several numbered doors spaced apart on the way. This was an apartment complex, then? The wallpaper was ornate and patterned; the carpet, a rich burgundy. It wouldn't be a foolish assumption to presume this was where Robin had found a place to stay.

 

A jangle of keys; expertly, Robin indicated towards the door at the end of the corridor with the number '30' emblazoned on it, and turned the key in the lock.

 

The mood was still tense; Law vaguely felt himself almost drop down upon shuffling into Robin's place, dropping his luggage with a sigh and a soft thud. Even in his frankly grizzled state, he could tell that the place was nice; Robin still had money, then? There was a sofa, coffee table, a chaise lounge – all black, with stark white carpet to contrast. It was open plan – he briefly noted a nice-looking marble counter in the kitchen, black as well. Very minimalist...very _Robin_.

 

Quickly, another exhale leaving her lips, Robin bolted the door behind them; Law craned his head, to see her checking through the spyhole one more time, before sloping over to the sofa and burying his head in his hands.

 

He was too young to be this stressed, surely? What the fuck was he going to do now? He'd been railroaded into this...

 

“We're safe, yeah?” Anything to affirm _something_ about the situation – his voice wasn't much more than a sigh at this point, noticing just how _tired_ he was as tattooed fingers rubbed his bad leg.

 

“...mhm. We were probably safe the moment we drove away, but...” Robin's eyes shifted as she murmured, slowly striding over to join Law on the sofa. “...You know as well as anybody there's no being _too_ careful.”

 

“...Then why did you drive me all the way here?!” He'd widened his eyes at that, motioning to stand up; pain shot through his leg just enough to make him reconsider, and he fell back down silently, crossing his arms. Why _had_ Robin driven him here if he'd have been perfectly fine getting to his _own_ car – fuck, which was _still somewhere downtown_.

 

“I would explain, but getting into a discussion at….” - Robin checked her watch at these words - “4.22am, of all times, would probably yield a lot more questions than answers. I'm more than happy to talk about it when we're rested – the important thing is we're _safe_.”

 

Begrudgingly, Law had to agree. Between the thunderous headache he'd received from the event of tonight and the annoying ache in his leg – he was grateful to have gotten out alive of such a shady place. _Fuck_ rendezvousing.

 

Fingers massaging his thighs, trying to get some of the stiffness out of his legs, Law realised he'd still had his phone in his pocket from when Robin handed it back to him. Feeling a little better that at least it hadn't been blowing up with texts and calls all suspiciously, he then promptly remembered he'd turned it off to avoid that express purpose.

 

Fuck. Looking at the 'missed call' history wasn't going to be pretty, the man assumed.

 

Wordlessly, Robin moved, standing up to gesture to a hallway leading down from the kitchen. “My spare bedroom is down there – please, do retire there for the night...” The woman was barely stifling a yawn; Law recollected just how _aggressive_ she'd been throughout the entire night. Jumping out of a window, driving as if her life depended on it (that was probably close enough to the truth, anyway) – it was no surprised she was shattered.

 

And so, Law could only think that the final act of gentlemanliness he could proffer would be to accept her grace and deal with all of this until the morning.

 

Until there was noise, yet again. A soft _thud-thud-thud_ \- no, _two_ soft _thud-thud-thud_ s. His perception was still alert enough that he could make out, yes, _two_ pairs of footsteps – undoubtedly thumping down the carpeted hallway. The footfalls were getting louder, ringing through the quiet of the apartment.

_Officers? He's back? With another guy? Fuck, they did tail us! Shit, shit, shit..._

Law looked wildly at Robin, this time ignoring the pain in his leg and standing up, startled. However, the gaze she returned at his sudden movement _wasn't_ concerned or worried – and Law felt bewildered for a second. That meant this probably wasn't dangerous – thank _fuck –_ but if not dangerous, then what?

And then he heard a voice he didn't recognise. He was fucking sick of hearing voices he didn't recognise, tonight. For god's sake -

“Robiiiiin! Robin, Robin! You're back, we know you're in theeeere! Robin!!!”

_What the fuck was this?_

“Sorry, we've had a drink” - a lower voice, this time? - “and this idiot saw your car in the driveway. I'll drag him back to our -”

“Nooo! No, no no! _Zorooooo_ , I want to see Robin!!”

Law stared. Kept staring. He could feel his eyebrows twitching.

He'd thought it too much over the course of the evening, but once again the word crossed his mind.

 _What? What the_ fuck _now?_

Any relief felt by the signs that these were not, police officers, and were obviously...Robin's acquaintances, were immediately offset by the fact that these were two _teenage boys_.

 

Teenage boys – or, at least, they sounded like it; mildly inebriated ones, judging from the slur in the first one's voice – were arguably _tied_ with police officers for 'the one thing Trafalgar Law did not want to deal with at 4am.'

And yet – wait, what the fuck? Robin was walking over to the door amidst miscellaneous chanting and bickering from the other side, a horrible cacophony that offset any tension and replaced it with pure fucking _annoyance_. Law attempted to hiss - “ _Robin, what -”_ before he heard the bolt slide open, along with a mild giggle from Robin.

If Law was one to have a drier sense of humour, he might have thought that the officer _breaking through_ the door earlier was much preferable to a gaggle of two teenagers spilling through Robin's. Of course, the event still weighed on his mind – but it was hard to _not_ think of anything to joke about, otherwise he would probably _snap_ in sheer annoyance. Hadn't Robin been the one to suggest sleep? Why was she going along with these teenager's whims??

Begrudgingly, he was about to throw a look over, when a very loud exclamation of _“Oh!!”_ made him jolt his neck in the general direction of said voice anyway.

There was a taller man ushering the smaller in through the doorway, as Robin beamed courteously – he looked a little older, at least. The most immediate thing that struck Law about him was the green hair; he tried to pass the stares off as a non-committal, casual look over his shoulder, but Jesus C _hrist._ Law couldn't objectively be one to judge – he himself was emblazoned with tattoos, he thought to himself – but what _were_ teenagers like now? It wasn't as if Law himself was particularly old, but the green hair, accompanied with a solitary closed, scarred eye – teens were fucking _wild_ nowadays, Law concluded. He was well-built for his age, a little lanky, but – Law could see toned arms from the short-sleeved shirt, crossed in an almost defensive stance. Eyebrows were furrowed, but his face was relaxed enough – he hadn't seemed to notice Law, weirdly enough.

(Either that, or ignorance? They hadn't locked eyes, and there hadn't even been a nod of acknowledgement in his direction...funnily enough, Law supposed he preferred it that way.)

The older of the pair was following Robin now, through to the kitchen; talking in a low tone as she reciprocated whatever line of conversation the two were following. _He_ wasn't the source of all the noise, Law could irritably deduct.

The boy in front, however, was a different story. Law's eyes flickered to him almost automatically as he finished his assessment of the other figure.

He was small. Easily half a foot shorter than Law himself – he looked so _young_ ; what was Robin doing entertaining people so – to be blunt – out of her age group?

 _Weird_...Law mused, gritting his teeth.

He had hair not dissimilar to Law's own; a little scruffy, but dark (albeit, a little more brown in tone) – long bangs framed his round face, and Law noted the mild tan of his skin. Well, how could he not? The boy was wearing a fucking open, sleeveless shirt, hands on his hips in a _triumphant_ pose – and it was _freezing_ outside.

...Were those _shorts_? They were frayed at the hems, in concordance with the boy's rather...unkempt look, ending just below his knees.

Law pursed his lips, staring intently. He was locked in an awkward position right now, arm draped over the back of the sofa as he tilted his head. Eyes flickered up and down the small frame; this kid looked positively _scrawny_ , if not for a little bit of muscle.

Feeling a little bit conscious of the fact he was fixated on the kid's torso, Law decided to survey his face – was this teenager going to be an annoyance?

As soon as he'd made the decision to look upwards, round eyes peered back, holding his gaze completely. Christ, they were large; deep brown, glossy and inquisitive. Law felt his body tense. It was almost creeping him out; this teen seemed to want to bore a hole right _through_ him. The expression he was wearing didn't convey any particular hostility or air of disruption, thank god; more…slight inebriation. Cheeks were flushed pink, but the thing that jolted Law the most was -

He smiled. Not a small, gentle, polite smile; one that Robin would offer. A _grin_ ; a toothy beam, eyes widening even more as Law became aware of how long he'd been studying the boy. A little creepy, even by his standards. Almost instinctively at a show of such... _positivity_ , he frowned, his own eyes narrowing in exasperation. Why was this kid fucking _grinning_ at him? Was that normal…?

The smile grew wider. Law gave a grunt of acknowledgement, feeling weirdly defensive at such a brazen display; he tore his face away from those bright eyes, focusing on rubbing his temple in annoyance.

That was when soft thuds sounded again – was he _walking towards Law?_ It was more like a breakneck _jog_ over to the sofa, the kid's sandalled feet – _sandals?!? -_ hitting the plush carpet.

Why wasn't Robin aiding him? Oh, right, she was preoccupied with the moss-haired guy. Brilliant.

He stared at his lap, hearing the footsteps subside. _Good. Don't come near me. I heard how annoying your voice was._

It was four in the morning. Law was two milliseconds away from ignoring the entire situation and heading to sleep, having no such desire to coalesce with people _years_ younger than him, even on a good day – when, above the dull chatter of Robin and her companion, the boy's voice rang out.

All of a sudden, there was a blur of skin and messy hair. The face Law had been perusing _dropped_ down in front of him, inches away from grazing his nose. Apart from it was _upside-down_ and Law could feel a presence hovering over him.

The boy had draped himself from across the back of the sofa, body loosely hanging in front of Law, his limbs swaying. That face, seemingly permanently contorted into a grin, was now beaming yet again – mouth open.

His voice was just as annoying as Law had presumed from the other side of the door. It rang loud in Law's ears, entirely happy and sounding utterly _awestruck_. The tattooed male didn't even have time to sigh or push past before the younger man chirped breezily, eyes locked with Law's own once again:

“Oh?! Who are _you?!”_

 _Damn you, Robin. I just want to sleep_.  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope it was okay! as i've said - please lemme know what you guys think. i appreciate it enormously.
> 
> thank you for reading; hopefully i'll see you in the next one!


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